MPs made the right choice - Sitta

The outgoing Speaker of the National Assembly and Urambo-East MP, Samuel Sitta

The outgoing Speaker of the National Assembly and Urambo-East MP, Samuel Sitta yesterday backed the election of Anne Makinda, as Speaker, saying MPs had made the right choice.

Makinda, who is MP for Njombe South becomes the first woman in the country’s history to assume such a high post.

“I believe she is the right choice…MPs have made the right choice,” Sitta told reporters at the Parliament grounds shortly after the election.

Speaking to journalists, the Urambo-East MP said: “I congratulate her (Makinda) for the victory…I believe, MPs have made the right choice…it shows that they have confidence on her.”

He described Makinda as a strong and hard working woman, who he believed would follow his footsteps in managing the House. He explained that the house has many new faces, young blood and professionals, elements which require Parliament to be adaptive and set standards for effective management of the proceedings.

The important thing, according to Sitta, was for the leader of august house not to favour some people or groups of people, but manage proceedings and related Parliament activities to meet the expectations of the majority of Tanzanians.

He said he believed that discussions in the house would be handled and concluded properly, considering increased number of new faces.

For his part, the Maswa-West MP, John Shibuda congratulated all who vied for the position of Speaker of the House, saying they all had the ambition of serving Tanzanians through the Parliament.

He said that the newly-elected speaker Anne Makinda has an outstanding leadership record which has won her respect and recognition at national and international levels.

“What is needed is for all MPs to recognise her as the Speaker of the House and not a speaker of certain groups of people who want to push some of their personal agendas in the House,” said Shibuda.

“We need the speaker to be given positive ideas which can be translated to benefit the nation,” said Shibuda.

For his part, Mkanyageni CUF MP, Habibu Mnyaa said the level which the 9th parliament had reached needed to be sustained and possibly improved to prove that the new Speaker was elected genuinely.

Bariadi East MP for UDP, John Cheyo said they were not electing a speaker of a certain party, but of all Tanzanians.

“What we need now is a Speaker who has the required ability and experience to lead the House…Makinda has all these qualities,” he said.

He said contrary to the 9th Parliamentary meeting, the new one has so many young MPs. “ ….we think the new speaker will learn from what the former speaker, Sitta did, especially in controlling misuse of public funds in the government,” he said.